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Didim (Didyma)
Although Didim (Didyma) can only boast of a single monument,
it is nevertheless a marvellous site. The Temple of Apollo
was one of antiquity's most sacred places. Many times looted
and burned, the sanctuary still impresses with its elegant
beauty. A portico of double colonnades surround the colossal
temple. Not far from the archaeological site, the beautiful
beach of Altinkum tempts with its many guest houses. Akbьk
is another holiday resort in the region with nice beach
hotels.
Although the history of Geyre (Aphrodisias) stretches back
in time, the city, which was dedicated to Aphrodite, goddess
of love and fertility, rose to prominence in the first century
B.C. Some of the richest treasures of ancient times were
uncovered in the excavations of this city. The public buildings
are handsomely adorned with marble that was carved with
astonishing skill, producing remarkable temples, monuments,
baths, a theatre and a magnificent stadium. The reputation
of the city's craftsmen for the exquisite finesse of their
statuary and marble sculpting spread through the civilised
world, and Aphrodisias became the center of the greatest
sculpting school of antiquity. Many of its marvellous works
of art are now housed in the local museum. The theatre and
bouleuterion are among the city's best-preserved ruins.
About 35 kilometres east of Aydэn lies Sultanhisar, host
to an Art and Culture Festival every spring. Nearby, in
the quiet of the olive trees, are the ruins of ancient Nysa,
famous in the second century A.D. as an educational centre
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